A New Non-Contact Swelling Meter for Assessing Early Stage Shale Hydration: Market and Capability Assessment

1.进行市场调研，对产品和服务进行信息化评估这涉及与已知石油和天然气市场领域内的最终用户进行接触：BP和雪佛龙已同意提供样品（储层岩心），以测试新设备与具有良好特征的样品的性能; M-I SWACO已表示有兴趣，沙特阿美将通过现有联系人进行接触。将主要通过以下方式与利益相关者联系，以获得开发和完善IP的帮助：-最终用户在粘土水化和钻井液分析的特性和功能以及最终分析报告方面的需求是什么？这将帮助我们实现产品/服务的全部范围，这些产品/服务可以被认为在我们打算解决的市场中具有竞争力。他们目前对井眼材料和钻井液有效性进行初始水化试验的方法是什么？这些信息将使我们能够确定我们现有知识产权的优势和劣势。他们能否证实我们的知识产权有市场需求？2.为技术开发和营销战略研究竞争对手这项研究将包括：-对现有竞争对手产品进行技术分析，以确定可以纳入我们产品设计的科学发展的关键领域。这也将暴露出构建更先进产品所涉及的风险。- 对用于从仪器数据中提取有用信息的分析技术的研究。这将使我们能够制定一个标准化的报告格式，这将大大提高我们的知识产权的效率和有效性。- 市场战略分析，将阐明竞争对手的品牌实力，分销实力，市场声誉，产品和技术支持的广度。这将使我们能够开发IP，使其能够提供优于竞争解决方案的优势。研究的出发点是竞争对手GRACE的仪器，R。帕特尔（研究员）和M-I SWACO的联系人有直接的经验。其他竞争对手的产品将通过英国石油公司和雪佛龙公司获得。开拓其他潜在市场虽然我们的知识产权的主要市场是石油和天然气勘探，但使用我们的知识产权进行的测量适用于更广泛的市场。储氢公司、切拉能源公司以及UCL物理公司的现有联系人一直对测量其材料在高压和高温下在水中的膨胀感兴趣。任何学科的材料膨胀是测量随着时间的推移与水和其他流体化学品接触，可以接近。我们将探索食品和制药材料行业的现有联系，因为我们相信这些是我们知识产权的另一个市场。因此，必须建立和维护这些关系，以优化我们的知识产权在整个市场中的地位。4.对市场机会和竞争对手进行评估，以制定商业化战略和市场路线这项工作将由外部咨询公司Woodview Technology Limited进行，该公司在能源行业的技术开发方面具有相当的专业知识（见支持函）。除了我们与最终用户的现有联系外，他们还将与自己更大的供应链公司网络进行接触，这些公司可能是我们知识产权的潜在客户。这将扩大我们的网络，并制定更明智的商业化战略。Woodview Technology Ltd将解决以下几点：-进行市场和知识产权分析，以帮助合作伙伴制定购买该技术的许可协议。研究知识产权专利的机会。- 调查将知识产权作为产品或服务提供的可行性。- 制定一条通往市场的战略路线，包括未来的责任活动、风险等

1. TO UNDERTAKE MARKET RESEARCH TO MAKE INFORMED ASSESSMENTS OF THE PRODUCT & SERVICES This involves engaging with end-users within the known market sector of oil & gas: BP and Chevron have agreed to supply samples (reservoir cores) to test the performance of the new device against well characterised samples; M-I SWACO have already expressed interest and Saudi Aramco will be approached via existing contacts. The stakeholders will primarily be approached for assistance in developing and refining the IP in the following ways:- What are the needs of the end-users in terms of features and functionality and final analysis reporting of clay hydration and drilling fluid analysis? This will help us realise the full scope of a product/service that can be considered competitive in the market we intend to address.- What are their current methods for initial hydration tests of wellbore material and drilling fluid effectiveness? This information will allow us to identify the strengths and weaknesses of our existing IP.- Can they confirm that there is a market need for our IP? 2. TO RESEARCH COMPETITORS FOR BOTH TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING STRATEGYThis research will involve: - A technological analysis on the available competitor products to determine key areas of scientific development which can be incorporated into our product designs. This will also expose the risks involved with building a more advanced product. - An investigation into the analysis techniques used to extract useful information from the data of the instruments. This will enable us to develop a standardised reporting format which will great increase efficiency and effectiveness of our IP. - Market strategy analysis which will shed light on competitor strength of brand, distribution strength, market reputation, breadth of product and technical support. This will allow us to develop the IP to a point where it can offer benefits over competing solutions. The starting point for the research is a competitor GRACE's instruments with which R. Patel (the researcher) and contacts in M-I SWACO have direct experience. Access to other competitor products will be made via BP and Chevron.3. TO INVESTIGATE OTHER POTENTIAL MARKETSAlthough the driving market use for our IP is oil & gas exploration, the measurements that can be made using our IP are applicable to a broader market. There has been interest from existing contacts in hydrogen storage company, Cella Energy looking to measure expansion of their materials in water at high pressure and temperature, as well as UCL Physics. Any discipline where expansion of a material is measured over time in contact with water and other fluid chemicals can be approached. We will explore existing contacts within the food and pharmaceutical materials industry, as we believe these are another market for out IP. It is therefore imperative that these relationships are built and maintained to optimise the position of our IP within the overall market.4. TO PERFORM ASSESSMENT OF MARKET OPPORTUNITY AND COMPETITORS TO BUILD COMMERCIALISATION STRATEGY & ROUTE TO MARKETThis work will be performed by external consultancy, Woodview Technology Limited, who have considerable expertise in technology development for the energy industry (see Letter of Support). Alongside our existing contacts with end-users, they will engage with their own, larger network of supply chain companies who might be potential customers of our IP. This will broaden our network and develop a better informed strategy for commercialisation. Woodview Technology Ltd will address the following points:- Perform a market and IP analysis to aid in the development of a licencing agreement for partners to buy into the technology.- Investigate opportunities for patenting the IP. - Investigate viability of providing IP as a product or service. - Develop a route to market strategy, involving liable future activities, risks, etc